Scholarship, Representation, and Boba: The AANHPI Experience Sonoma State University

Student: Shawn Ramus

Faculty Mentor: Charlene Tung

Women's and Gender Studies

College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts

This poster is about a series of interviews with past and current students about the AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander) experience on a predominantly white campus. From Spring ‘24 to Fall ‘24, we completed qualitative interviews with nine AANHPI-identified students aimed at gaining a picture of the AANHPI student experience at Sonoma State University (SSU). All interviews were fully transcribed and coded. The interview schedule included basic demographic data (including ethnic background, generational status, family members, where they grew up, work status, etc.), social support, and experiences of racism both inside and outside SSU, among other questions. These interviews were then analyzed for themes around the sense of belonging as an AANHPI student at SSU, the need for student-led social support networks, and AANHPI racialization on campus. This data was then used to support the development of the newly formed, grant-funded AANHPI Student Achievement Program (ASAP).